Florida PSC Helps You Be Cool and Save Energy

TALLAHASSEE —
Knowing that your air-conditioners (AC) will soon be running nonstop, the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) is cooling you off with another energy-saving tip for its 2013 Energy Saving Challenge during Florida’s historic 500th anniversary year. Participating residents can save up to 500 kilowatt hours (kWh) or more of energy through December that will save them money and help protect resources for future Floridians and visitors to enjoy for another 500 years.

For May’s tip, the PSC urges you to “be cool and save energy.” Set your thermostat at 78 degrees or higher and leave it there. For every degree below that setting, you’ll use 10 percent more electricity. Set the thermostat even higher when at work or away from home for long periods of time, but no more than five degrees higher.

The PSC also urges you to change or clean your AC filter regularly and use your ceiling fan for more comfort. Only turn it on, however, when you’re in the room because ceiling fans only cool people, not rooms. You’ll also want to clear your outside AC unit of plants or brush, so it can run more efficiently.

“We want Florida’s residents to be ready for summer weather, and that means more than having the latest in swim wear,” said PSC Chairman Ronald A. Brisé. “It means checking your home’s air-conditioning system and changing your air filters, which should be done regularly because dirty filters restrict airflow and reduce efficiency.”

“Florida’s reputation as a one-of-a-kind cultural destination is a testament to its diverse, innovative, and resourceful residents,” said Secretary of State Ken Detzner. “The PSC’s energy challenge will help future generations of Floridians enjoy the great state we call home, and we welcome them as a Viva Florida 500 partner.”

Viva Florida 500 is a statewide initiative led by the Florida Department of State, under the leadership of Governor Rick Scott, to highlight the 500 years of historic people, places, and events in present-day Florida since the arrival of Juan Ponce de León to the land he named La Florida in 1513.

In 2013, Florida will mark 500 years of history and diverse cultural heritage – a claim no other state in America can make – and promote the place where the world’s cultures began to unite and transform into the great nation we know today as the United States of America.

For more information on Viva Florida 500, visit the Department of State’s website on Florida’s 500th Anniversary at http://www.vivaflorida.org/.